A Poisonous Rose
by newyorkersteph0804
Summary: Ezio Auditore runs into a young woman he's never met before. They are connected by a desire for revenge against one man: Rodrigo Borgia. Ezio/OC, Rated M just in case
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, this is an AC fanfic that's been brewing in my mind for some time now. I know it doesn't really correspond with the events of the actual story, but let's just pretend it's an AU and leave it at that, okay? In my version of the story, Ezio has already been formally inducted into the Assassin Order, but he still hasn't gotten ahold of the Apple, nor does he know what it is. My goal is just to go with the flow with this and see where it goes...**

* * *

There it was again- a flash of red, moving through the crowd just a few feet away from him. Ezio only got a glimpse of the mysterious hooded figure before it disappeared behind the corner of a building, but he was certain that his eyes were telling the truth.

"_Abbattetelo_!"

"Get him!"

Ezio ignored the cries of the guards racing towards him. He lowered the body of his latest target to the ground and immediately took off in the direction of the figure in red. Of course, the guards gave chase, but he lost them easily by climbing up the side of a building and onto a rooftop. Once he was there, he scanned the area, looking for his strange follower.

There it was again- a person dressed in red robes, running across the rooftop just ahead of him! Making sure not to lose sight of them this time, Ezio chased the figure, climbing and vaulting over any obstacles in his path.

This was the third time he's seen this mysterious figure after an assassination. The first time was when he killed a traitorous thief. After stabbing the Borgia spy in the neck and saying the usual, "_Requiescat in pace_," he'd looked up and seen the flutter of a scarlet cape moving through a crowd nearby. That time he'd simply dismissed it as a simple trick of the mind. However, when he saw the same figure watching him from a rooftop after the assassination of a corrupt government official, he knew that this was no illusion. That day, he'd been too busy fighting off a horde of guards to pursue the figure, but this time he swore he'd catch this strange spy, whoever he was.

The figure dropped off the rooftop, out of Ezio's line of sight. Judging by the surprised gasps he was hearing from ground-level, he- or perhaps she- had reached the ground. Without a second of hesitation, Ezio performed a leap of faith into a hay bale nearby.

Ezio glimpsed the figure again just as he was clambering out of the hay bale. They were running straight into a narrow, dark alleyway, which Ezio knew to be a dead end. He smiled grimly underneath his hood. Whoever this person was, today was not their lucky day.

When Ezio entered the alleyway, the figure was no longer running, having figured out that their path was blocked. Hearing Ezio's footsteps, they began to turn around- just as Ezio slammed them into the wall. The figure did not scream or cry out, but Ezio could hear the breath leaving their lungs with a loud _whoosh_. In an instant his hidden blade was out and pressed against the person's exposed neck.

"Who are you? Why have you been following me?"

At first glance, the figure's clothes looked similar to Ezio's, save for the missing Assassins' insignia on the sash and the fact that the hood was connected the cape- which was dyed red on the outside and black on the inside- by means of a cowl, completely separate from the rest of the outfit. Ezio could not see the person's eyes because of the low, loose hood covering them, but he could still see the shape of their rounded, full lips and V-shaped chin. As his eyes traveled further down, he also saw that under their robes, the outline of their breasts was visible. This was enough to confirm their gender, even before the figure spoke.

"I believe you're in no position to be asking questions."

Her voice was low and threatening, with a husky edge. For a second he was mesmerized by its hypnotizing quality- until he felt a sharp blade pressing into the back of his throat.

A few second passed. Rapid calculations were running through Ezio's mind. What were the chances that he could slit this woman's throat before she plunged her blade into his? His neck was covered by his hood, but the woman's was bare; still, the tip of her blade was pointing directly at the center of his neck, meaning that his hood would provide little protection against it.

In short, this was a fight he could not win.

Slowly, Ezio withdrew his blade. As he did so, the woman lower her right arm, which she'd been using to hold her own knife, a thin but deadly stiletto. She slid the weapon back into her sleeve, presumably securing it in some sort of hidden casing.

Ezio stayed on his guard, even as he stepped backwards, away from the woman.

"Who are you?" he asked again. He tensed as the woman started walking towards him, but she did not attack. Instead, she circled around him so that she was no longer trapped in the space between him and the wall.

"I am an assassin, like you," she said. "But I work alone. I am part of no order. I have no master."

"Why have you been following me?"

"Don't flatter yourself. I was after your target, not you. Three times, Assassin, three times you've stolen my rightful prey. You were starting to become a nuisance- which is why I arranged this little meeting today."

"So you could get rid of me?"

"No. We both fight for the same cause. You've already accomplished much- to kill you would be a waste. The reason I wanted to see you today was so that we could work out an agreement to work _with_, not _against_ each other."

"And what is this common 'cause,' you speak of?"

"To kill Rodrigo Borgia. To tear down his Templar order. To let him watch his world crumbling around him before giving him a slow, miserable death."

Ezio was stunned. Those were not the words he'd expected to come out of this woman's mouth- especially not with such venom and hatred infused into her voice. He recovered quickly and spoke again.

"If you're so keen on teamwork, why do you hide in the shadows? Why have you not revealed yourself to me until today?"

"I have my reasons. Do not question them."

"And if I do...?"

"Then you die."

Ezio doubted that one woman, no matter how skilled, could kill him single-handedly. But the mere certainty behind her words caused him to doubt himself a little. Besides, the thought of fighting and killing a woman unnerved him a little- as he'd been told countless others, he had a soft spot for damsels in distress. Still, he found it difficult to trust a woman who had been holding a blade to the back of his throat less than a minute before.

"How do I know you are telling the truth?"

The woman reached for a pouch attached to her belt, putting Ezio on his guard immediately. However, when her hand emerged from the inside of the bag, it carried a folded piece of paper, not a weapon. She held it out towards him with her right hand. After a moment of hesitation, Ezio stepped forward quickly and took it from her. He did not open it.

"Read it later on, when you have the time. If you wish to take up my offer, meet me at the top of the tower nearest to the Duomo at midnight."

She was about to leave, when Ezio spoke up.

"May I at least have your name, _Madonna_?" Out of habit, Ezio said the last few words with a teasing edge. He cringed inwardly; why was it that, even in his late twenties, he couldn't control himself in front of beautiful women? Oh well, once a playboy, always a playboy.

The woman hesitated for a moment. Then, she lifted one of her gloved hands and pulled her scarlet hood away from her face.

Her ebony hair had been drawn into a braid at the nape of her neck, so her face was fully visible without the hood. The first thing Ezio noticed was her eyes. They were coal black, almost so dark that her pupil and iris could not be distinguished. However, it seemed that because her eyes were so dark, the light reflecting off of them seemed even brighter; specks of light gleamed in her eyes like stars. Ezio couldn't help but stare at them a fraction of a second longer than was appropriate.

Without the hood, the woman seemed... younger somehow, and more vulnerable. Could it be- was she blushing?

"My name is Bellarosa. Bellarosa Riccelli da Venezia."

Ezio barely registered what she'd said before she flipped the hood back over her head, obscuring her eyes from view once again. There was the slight rustling of fabric and the fluttering of a cape, and then she was gone.

With good timing, too. As soon as Ezio regained his senses, a guard appeared at the entrance to the alleyway.

"There he is! Get him!"

"_Merda!"_ Ezio hissed as stuffed the paper in his pocket and took to the rooftops once again.

* * *

Bellarosa's heart pounded as she leapt nimbly from rooftop to rooftop, heading back towards the one place she could call home. Her breathing was ragged as she relived each second of her meeting with the infamous _assassino_. When he'd been chasing her, she hadn't been too surprised at his speed and skill; after all, she'd already spied on him twice before. Still, her heart had jumped into her throat when he'd slammed her against the wall of the alleyway. He was so strong! She'd only remembered to take out her stiletto at the last moment; if she hadn't, she would've been completely at the assassin's mercy- an idea that, strangely, wasn't too unappealing for her.

She truly hoped that he would show up at the meeting point later on. She was terrified of what would happen if he didn't. What if he didn't believe that the letter was real? For some reason, she'd decided to show him her face, something she hadn't done for anyone within the last ten years- _idiota!_ Now that he knew what she looked like, he'd be able to recognize her in any crowd or street- an idea that was _not_ appealing _at all._

After checking to see if there were any guards around, Bellarosa dropped onto the street in front of her home, her cape flying out behind her. She landed almost silently in a low crouch, absorbing the impact instantly. Then, she got up and knocked on the door in front of her. After a few moments, there was the rattling of a lock being opened, and the door swung slowly outwards. Bellarosa squeezed into the narrow gap and entered the building.

* * *

After an hour or so of being chased across Firenze by at least a dozen city guards, Ezio finally reached his lodgings. It was a dull, average-looking building, incredibly unlikely to attract the attention of hostile Borgia forces. He climbed up the stairs to his room, where he immediately sat on his bed, under which he kept a chest full of the Codex weapons Leonardo had fashioned for him. His body was screaming for him to lay down and sleep, but first he needed to see the piece of paper that the mysterious woman- Bellarosa, was it?- had given him earlier in the day. He pulled it out of his pocket. It was a little wrinkled, but otherwise unharmed. He scanned it carefully.

_To whomever this may concern,_

_I am writing this on the behalf of my student, Bellarosa Riccelli. I have given her this letter in the hope that it will help secure the trust of those she turns to in times of need. Her story may be difficult to believe at first, but I assure you that she is an ally of the Assassins, and there is nothing to be feared from her. If she ever asks you for anything, I implore you to help her the best you can, for she is like a second daughter to me._

_Signed,_

After that, the seal of the Assassins, an elaborately decorated upside-down V, had been stamped onto the paper. However, Ezio's attention was arrested by the name that had been written in the space below the seal.

_...Giovanni Auditore_


	2. Chapter 2

Bellarosa sat at the edge of the wooden platform extending from the roof of the tower. Her legs dangled dangerously off the edge. She was in the process of polishing her precious stiletto, a long, thin and deadly weapon, when she heard a light scuffling noise behind her. She knew, even without looking, that the Assassin had arrived. Light footsteps began sounding behind her; the Assassin was walking towards her.

"I know you're there," she called out. Her voice betrayed none of the fear that was stirring in her heart, a skill she had practiced- and perfected- since she was a child. The footsteps stopped. Discreetly, Bellarosa slid the stiletto back into her sleeve.

"Where did you get this letter?" Ezio demanded in a low, he demanded in a low, harsh growl. From the faint rustling of paper, Bella surmised that he was holding the letter in his hand.

"From your father. Who else?" As she said this, Bellarosa pulled herself onto her feet. _Come on Bella, you got this_, she whispered to herself in her mind. She turned and walked towards Ezio so that their faces were about a foot apart. She was shorter than he, so she had to look up slightly to face him. This allowed her to look up his hood. The bristling anger in his brown eyes almost made her falter, but she stood her ground.

"When did you get it?"

"The year right before he was executed, along with your brothers. You were seventeen at the time; I was just two years younger than you, and in desperate need of guidance. A fifteen year old girl and her child sister make easy targets for Borgia guards."

"Why were they after you in the first place?"

"I believe I have the right not to answer that question."

Ezio's eyes narrowed. He shoved the letter into his pocket and clenched his left hand, allowing his hidden blade to slide out into the open. "Tell me!"

Bellarosa took care not to change her expression, but her fingers curled inwards, ready to extract the stiletto from her sleeve at a moment's notice. "No," she replied. She mentally congratulated herself for not letting her voice waver.

Ezio looked like he had half the mind to attack her there and then, but he restrained himself. To Bella's relief, he withdrew his hidden blade. "What do you want?" he growled.

"I already told you. I want an alliance between us; that way, we can accomplish twice as much as either of us could alone, and we wouldn't get in each others' way."

_Please accept, please accept_, Bella prayed in her mind. Logically, it was a realistic proposal- but then again, Ezio was not thinking logically at the moment.

"And why would I need help from a lying witch like you?"

The insult stung, but Bella was secretly grateful that he'd refrained from using stronger vocabulary. "Well, for starters, you didn't do so well during your attempt to rescue the Doge in Venezia."

"I killed his replacement. Venezia is better off now because of it."

"Perhaps."

"Well, if you think you could have done a better job, where were you when Carlo Grimaldi was leading the Doge to his doom?"

"I was tailing a Templar courier who was carrying letters from Rodrigo Borgia himself. I never go after large targets unless I'm certain I can eliminate all witnesses; unlike you, I cannot afford to have my face slapped onto the front of every wanted poster in the city."

Ezio still looked angry, but he had calmed down somewhat. He took a deep breath before speaking again. "Even if your intentions are good, how do I know that you are experienced enough not to get yourself killed the first time you actually go after a significant target?"

Bellarosa braced herself for what she had to say next. "Take me with you the next time you perform an assassination. Let me prove myself."

Ezio considered her words for a while. Bella stood, motionless, but brimming with anticipation. Would he accept her? Or would he say no? Suddenly, the thought struck her; why did she care so much what this man, this stranger thought of her? True, if he decided to reject her and tell his friends in the Brotherhood about her, she'd have to lay low for a while, but it wouldn't be too much of an issue, right? She doubted that he'd try to attack her, and even if he did she could easily escape; she knew the back alleyways and streets of Firenze better than any thief. So why was she worried?

Because, for once in her life, she didn't want to be alone. She wanted someone with whom she could share this part of her life freely. Someone who, unlike her sister, could carry a conversation with her. Someone who, unlike the Russos, didn't grimace and change the subject whenever she wanted to tell them about her past. Someone who understood her thirst for revenge, the hatred that she felt towards the Spaniard.

Bellarosa blinked. _Mio dio_, when did she become so soft?

In her private confusion, Bellarosa almost didn't hear what Ezio said next.

"..._Va bene._ My next mission is to break up a Templar meeting and assassinate all those involved. We only have one lead, but by tailing him we can reveal the exact location of the conference. I expect the are to be heavily guarded- which is where you can help."

Bella sucked in a breath. It had worked!

"Meet me near the Santa Maria Novella tomorrow, at four o'clock... _Bellarosa_."

He said her name not as a friendly gesture, but like a challenge. Bella, a little piqued, nodded curtly. Without speaking further, the Assassin stepped around her and made his way towards the wooden platform from which he would take his leap of faith.

Bellarosa suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, and one more thing," she said, turning around. Ezio, now perched on the platform, twisted his head a little.

"Yes?"

"Give me the letter."

"What?"

"Your father's letter. Give it back."

"Why should I?"

"Personal reasons." In truth, Bella was afraid that Ezio might tell one of the other Assassins about her, and use the letter as evidence. That was something she simply couldn't allow.

Ezio turned away from her again, as though he were calculating his options.

"...I think I'll keep it."

Bella's heart stopped beating for a moment.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, I am going to keep it. Ever since the execution, my family has been trying to scrape together everything we can from our past lives. I'm afraid your letter is no exception."

"But-"

"Rest assured, I can give you my word that no eyes will read it but my own. However, if I find that you are not the ally you say you are, I will hand it over to the Brotherhood and tell them of everything I know about you, along with a detailed description of your face. If that happens, every whore, thief and mercenary in the city will be hunting you down- and you will not be able to hide, no matter what you do."

Bellarosa's deft fingers unlatched the casing hidden in her sleeve as she lunged forward, but by then the Assassin had already launched himself into the night air. She was left alone at the top of the tower, clutching her stiletto and cursing out loud. Why oh why did she let him gain the upper hand? She had been careless, showing him her face the first time they'd met, now letting him take the letter- _idiota, idiota, idiota_!

She knew that Ezio would be long gone by now; perhaps if she'd leapt off the building and given chase earlier on she could have caught him, but she'd wasted time drawing her weapon. Her only choice was to meet him tomorrow, at the appointed place and time.

She clocked herself on the head with the knuckles of her left fist. _Idiota_!

* * *

Ezio sat in his room again, staring at his father's familiar handwriting on Bellarosa's letter. He regretted having to threaten Bellarosa like that, but he just couldn't give up one of the last remaining writings his late father had left. Still, he had meant every word he'd said. The first time he'd met Bellarosa, she had told him that she had her reasons for revealing herself only to him and not the rest of the Brotherhood. That in itself was enough to cause suspicion; he had to be wary around her, no matter how cruel it meant he had to be.

Ezio yawned- he hadn't realized how tired he'd been until now. What a day! He got up and took off his outermost armor, laying them on a chair next to his bed. However, he was too tired to remove his Assassin's robes before sprawling onto his bed and falling asleep immediately.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys, just wanted to say, school is _about_ to end, so during this week-long gap between the end of exams and summer break (during which my mother will bombard me with tutors and extra summer homework) I'll be trying to upload as much as possible, so I would really appreciate reviews :)

I know I forgot to add this in the last 2 chapters, but...

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Assassin's Creed or any of its characters

* * *

This time, it was Ezio who arrived at the meeting place first. He blended into a crowd in front of a herald while he waited for Bellarosa.

Then, all of a sudden, she was there. It was as though he'd blinked, and she'd magically appeared next to him, her hood pulled low over her face and her mouth set in a firm line.

"Where's the lead?" she said. Ezio could tell she was not happy about the little stunt he'd pulled the night before.

"Right there, in front of the tailor's shop. The one in the yellow cap."

Bellarosa appeared motionless, but the shadows under her hood shifted a little as she turned her head to look at the target. He seemed to be in a heated debate with the tailor, slamming his fist against the counter repeatedly and flailing about with his other hand. A few guards glanced in his direction, but otherwise left him alone.

Finally, grumbling something under his breath, the man deposited a few florins onto the counter and began walking away. Ezio followed him on street level, blending with crowds whenever the target turned around or guard nearby noticed his strange clothes. Meanwhile, Bellarosa disappeared, presumably to the rooftops. Once in a while, Ezio could see a quick flash of red as she ducked into an alleyway or got up from a bench. The target got suspicious whenever Ezio walked too close or strayed from a crowd too long, but he never noticed Bellarosa as she watched him from a balcony or a crowd of courtesans. Ezio had to admit that she was good.

Finally, the official entered an enclosed courtyard, surrounded by buildings on three sides and a low brick wall on the other. The only entrance on that could be reached by ground level was an open doorway built into the wall. The entire area was being protected by what seemed like a small army of guards, both inside and outside the courtyard itself.

Ezio climbed up one of the nearby buildings and found Bellarosa waiting for him on the roof. The body of a dead archer lay nearby, which didn't faze Ezio the slightest bit. Together, he and Bellarosa peered down into the courtyard and the meeting- or rather, argument- that was taking place.

"...we need to deal with the Medici!" one of the Templars was saying.

"Yes, but we must be subtle. Remember what happened to the Pazzi all those years ago?"

"I agree with Alfonso. We must plan carefully..."

Ezio kept his eyes on the conspirators. Almost absentmindedly, he said to Bellarosa,"We need to make sure none of the targets escape. You block the entrance to the courtyard. I will take care of the conspirators. Cut down anyone who tries to get in or out."

Bellarosa was irked. She hadn't forgotten the way Ezio had threatened her the night before, which made his curt, dismissive tone even more insulting. It was as though he were ordering her around just because he knew that he could! Still, Bellarosa refused to let Ezio know he was getting under her skin. Instead, she drew her stiletto and a large, serrated dagger. After a few moments, Ezio snapped out his hidden blades.

It was time to attack.

Both killers leapt down into the courtyard, capes flying out behind them.

While Ezio landed on an unfortunate official and stabbed his hidden blade into the back of his neck, Bellarosa intercepted another who was trying to escape the courtyard. He made a sort of squeaking noise before Bella's stiletto was embedded into the underside of his jaw. Bellarosa then turned to face the numerous guards who were trying to enter the courtyard through the narrow entrance. Obviously, they weren't very smart, because they kept getting stuck whenever several of them tried to get through the opening at once.

Bella managed to dispatch five of the guards before they realized how stupid they were being. At this point, the agile guards started clambering over the wall, while the more heavy-set ones began entering the courtyard in single file, the brutes with broadswords and axes leading the charge. Bellarosa sheathed her dagger and pulled out her own sword. She preferred using smaller knives in open combat, but she knew that with the number of brutes approaching, she would be much better off with a longer-ranged weapon.

At that moment, Bellarosa heard Ezio grunt in pain behind her. She whirled around to see what was going on. Ezio was on the ground, surrounded by at least six guards. He was obviously at a disadvantage, barely managing to deflect the numerous blows that were raining down on him.

"Ezio!" she shouted instinctively. Who cared if he had been a _stronzo_ to her earlier on, he was still her ally, and she was _not_ going to let him die on their first joint mission!

Out of the corner of her eye, Bellarosa saw a guard behind her raise his sword, hoping to catch her by surprise. She didn't even wait for him to strike. Without turning around, she jabbed him in the nose with her right elbow. While he howled in pain, she darted forward, into the crowd of guards surrounding Ezio.

She ran her sword through two guards at once, killing them instantly. With her stiletto, she slashed at the throats of three other guards, killing one and mortally wounding the two others. By this time Ezio had managed to get to his feet and was now in the process of dispatching two other guards. When he was finished, he turned and shouted, "Bella! The last target, he's getting away!"

A small section of Bellarosa's mind noticed that Ezio hadn't called her by her full name, but she ignored it; she had other priorities at the moment. Bellarosa turned around, just in time to see a purple-robed nobleman shove through the surrounding guards and race out the courtyard entrance. "_Cazzo!"_ Bella muttered as she ran after him, sheathing her weapons in mid-flight. She dodged and weaved through the startled guards, climbed over the courtyard wall, and leapt down to ground level.

It took her only a moment to locate the fleeing Templar. When she did, she gave chase immediately. How was it that such an overweight man could run so fast? As soon as she was in range, she pulled a throwing knife out of her belt, aimed, and launched the blade at the official's obese figure.

The knife spun through the air, whistling past startled civilians and almost hitting a stack of wooden crates. Finally, it found its mark, burying itself into the back of the Templar's skull.

Thank goodness for that- Bella was afraid that if the knife had hit his back, his endless layers of fat would prevent the blade from reaching any vital organs.

The targets were dead, but the Bella still had to deal with the guards. "Bellarosa!" Ezio called from a rooftop nearby. Bellarosa wasted no time in joining him, and together they fled from the scene of the crime.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, just wanted to say I get so many notices saying that people have put my story on story alert, but i have NO REVIEWS, which is a little annoying because I have no idea of what you guys think of my story, so even if what you have to say isn't entirely positive, please review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Assassin's Creed or any of its characters (except Bellarosa :D)**

* * *

Ezio and Bellarosa sat together on a bench, resting and collecting their breath. They had outrun the guards a long time ago, so neither of them was worried about being detected. After a while, Ezio cleared his throat.

"...You were better than I expected back there," he said, hesitantly. "Without you, I-"

"-would be dead," Bellarosa deadpanned.

Ezio looked up, a little startled. Bellarosa's facial expression was hidden by her hood, so he had no idea whether her words were meant as a jibe or an inoffensive comment. What stung him the most was that even though he hated to admit it, she was right; without Bellarosa there to save him, he would have utterly failed the mission, and he would be either dead or severely wounded by now.

The two sat in awkward silence. The tension between them was almost palpable. Finally, Bellarosa spoke.

"Earlier on, during the fight... when you called me... you didn't call me by my full name."

"Hm?"

Bellarosa paused for a moment before continuing. There was an uncertain, almost shy undertone in her voice. "You called me '_Bella_.' Not 'Bellarosa.'"

Ezio realized it was true. At the time he'd been too preoccupied with the fleeing target to notice, but he _had_ called her that. But why was Bellarosa bringing this topic up now? Had he offended her somehow?

"_Mi dispiace_, Bellarosa. I will refer to you by your full name in the future."

"N-no, it's fine," Bellarosa replied, just a little too quickly. "I was not offended. Just a little- surprised."

This time, even though he still could not see her face, Ezio was sure that Bellarosa was blushing. He had not lost enough of his younger, playboy self to forget how to read a woman's emotions.

"_Va bene_," he said coolly. The hint of a smirk appeared on his scarred lips. "Then you do mind if I call you '_Bella_,' from now on?"

Bellarosa started a little at his sudden boldness. She turned her head towards him, her coral pink lips parted slightly. Her hood slipped back the slightest bit, allowing Ezio to catch a glimpse of those sable eyes. "I... I do not mind," she said, looking away again. Her husky voice wavered just the slightest bit. Ezio found this incredibly attractive, even endearing. He suddenly had the desire to reach up and touch her cheek with his hand.

He never had the chance to do this, as Bellarosa abruptly stood up, shattering the moment. She turned around to face Ezio. "Well, it has been a pleasure working with you. I hope that now that I've earned your trust, we can work together more often in the future." Her tone was brusque and business-like, completely different from her previous sheepish, child-like voice. Ezio felt a little disappointed at this turn of events.

Ezio remained seated on the bench. "I have enjoyed working with you as well. I look forward to doing so again as well," he said, his tone decidedly less more relaxed and casual than Bellarosa's. "But, I cannot come to you for help if I do not know where to find you." Those last words were accompanied by a lopsided grin.

Bellarosa had probably noticed Ezio's blatant attempt at flirting, but if she did she ignored it. "Trust goes both ways, Ezio. If you were hoping I would tell you where I live, I am afraid I must disappoint you. However, any time you need me, just come back to this bench; I will see you eventually." She was about to leave when Ezio interrupted her.

"And what if you are the one looking for me?"

"Then I will find you. You of all people should know how terrible you are at keeping a low profile." With that, she slipped into a passing crowd, blending so easily that Ezio lost her after a few moments.

He stayed on the bench a little longer, simply reliving his conversation with this strange woman. Bella was a mystery; sometimes she was shy, sometimes she was tough, sometimes she was aloof. Ezio didn't know a single thing about her past, yet she'd proven that he could trust her. Bellarosa intrigued Ezio, and not a lot of women had the power to do that.

Perhaps, he had found a new conquest?

Leisurely, Ezio got to his feet. He turned and began walking back to his lodgings and his welcoming bed.

* * *

_THWACK!_

_THWACK!_

_THWACK!_

Bellarosa reached for her knife belt, then found that she'd run out of throwing knives. Pulling down her hood, she walked forward and surveyed the damage she'd wrought on the training dummy hanging from the ceiling. Two knives were embedded in its forehead, three in its chest, six in various points on its arms and legs, and one in its crotch- just for good measure.

"Bella, dinner is ready-" Angelina Russo said, poking her head into the training room through the open doorway. She stopped when she saw Bellarosa plucking her knives out of the nearly ruined dummy. "_Mio dio_, Bella! Whatever did the poor thing do to you?"

Angelina was almost two decades older than Bellarosa, yet she was still an attractive woman. She had a petite figure and delicate facial features, framed by short, unwavering locks of chestnut hair. Despite her age, her porcelain white skin was free of any wrinkle or blemish. Her small nose and rosy lips complimented her baby blue eyes, which, at the moment, were the size of saucers.

Bellarosa heard Angelina's comment, but she refused to respond.

"Let me guess, bad day at work?"

Bella did not turn around, but her silence was enough to provide an answer. Angelina didn't pry further; she knew full well what kind of "work," Bellarosa was involved in.

"Well, whenever you are ready, come inside to eat, alright?"

This time, Bellarosa nodded glumly in response. Angelina left, leaving Bella alone with her misery and the unfortunate dummy. Bellarosa sighed as she yanked another knife out of the dummy's arm.

Why? Why did she have to be so... _weak_ when she was around Ezio? She saved his life! And yet when she spoke to him, she had sounded _pathetic_. She had the upper hand, and she'd lost it within the first few seconds of the conversation. What was wrong with her?

Goddammit, she could stare down even the likes of Rodrigo Borgia! Ezio was just another man, how was he so _different_?

Bellarosa finished retrieving her knives and stashed them in her knife belt. She walked towards the door, intending to leave the room, when the image of Ezio's face loomed up in her head again like a spontaneous firework. Those deep brown eyes, always half-hidden under the hood, that perfectly-placed scar, those soft, full lips, twisted permanently into a sexy smirk-

With a roar of frustration, Bella snatched a throwing knife out of her belt, whirled around, and sent it flying at the dummy.

The knife sliced into the dummy's throat with an almost inaudible _thunk_. At the same time, the sharp blade severed the rope around the dummy's neck that kept it attached to the ceiling. The dummy fell to the ground in a heap, with straw pouring out of the numerous tears that decorated its burlap skin.

Bellarosa didn't even bother to get back her knife. She simply turned on her heel and stormed out the door, slamming it violently behind her.


End file.
